Broken Ties
by Shotasune
Summary: Young Justice are ordered to take a 6 week break from league duties. With everyone going away to do their own thing Superboy expects a long lonely summer with just himself for company.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

**Conner**

"So that's final," She said summing it up "Six weeks. No costumes, no gear and no self-inflicted missions."

I stifle a laugh When Black Canary pointedly looks at Robin. That kid has an internal compass for trouble and he just can't help but follow it.

"Take this time and make the most of it. You won't get many breaks like this when you're in the league. Believe me, I've had far too many dates ruined by an emergency call. Be teenagers while you still can, got it?"

Almost everyone is grinning with excitement. Artemis is gone before she thinks anyone has noticed. She walks around this place like she doesn't owe anyone anything. Not even a goodbye.

I know Kaldur will be back in Atalantis before the Sun is down and M'gann had been talking about visiting her family over dinner the other night.

-x-

"First chance I get I'm getting in that ship and headed home. Twelve sisters and you'd think I'd be glad to be away from them all. I guess you just can't help missing family, even the ones that get on your...Oh! I-I'm sorry." She sat back in her chair, eyes down. "That was insensitive. I didn't think..." She said. Her voice pleaded forgiveness.

Everyone on the team avoided the subject of Superman's relationship, and the lack thereof, with me and I hated it. I hated the pity I could hear in their voices every time the subject of family came up.

I put my fork down and drew in a deep breath.

"It's only been what, 9 months since the guys pulled me from that glass pod? But I already think of the team as my family. For now that's enough for me."

She smiled and cautiously put her hand over mine. A few months ago my Knuckles would've been white and shaking with anger.

"The world can have Superman, I don't need him to give my life meaning." I sensed the conversation was getting too serious for table talk. Forcing a smile I picked up my fork again. "Tell me about your Sisters. What're they like?"

And before long the previous conversation was forgotten as we both laughed hard at how she'd managed to get caught up helping her eldest sister in a cover up to keep her parents from discovering her wild night out with a rogue ex boyfriend.

-x-

The team is eagerly filing out of the main hall when I feel a slap on my back.

"Plans SB?" Robin says from behind his dark glasses. He tries to drape his arm across my shoulder like we're best of friends but he struggles with his height and gives up. I'm grateful for this. I'm not a big fan of physical contact being just 9 months old I still struggled to understand the overwhelming amount of social cues. The Genomes didn't push so many of these into my head.

"I don't know" I say, really thinking about it for the first time. "I guess I'm staying at Justice Mountain. Might hit the beach or work on my bike. Y'know? That kind of stuff" It's going to be a long summer with just myself for company.

"You're staying 'home'? Dude, you're here _every_ day. Total waste of a good summer. I say take your bike and go on a road trip. At least that's what I'd do with a summer without adult supervision."

He lost a little of his enthusiasm at the mention of 'supervision'. It was obvious he was thinking of parental figures and my distinct lack of any. Just ignore it I tell myself.

"Black Canary will probably check in on me" I growl, trying to pass my annoyance off as though it's meant for our guardian. "What about you? No crime fighting for six weeks? You won't last."

"Ha, funny. The Bat's got some adventure thing planned in Africa but he's keeping it a surprise, I'm letting him keep it that way, haven't even hacked the computers at the bat cave. See?" He said looking proud of himself. "I'm already getting in the spirit."

"Yeah," I say, unconvinced. "But you hacked it a little. Otherwise how else would you know about the forced holiday before Black Canary announced it?"

He shrugged feigning innocence. "You got me there."

We both see Wally and Black Canary talking quietly. He doesn't look his usual hyper self. He's staring off to the side while she talks to him. She puts a hand on his shoulder and as if sensing my sudden interest in the scene before me my super hearing kicks in.

"-ive it some time. I've seen how your family care for you. They'll come around." She says.

He looks her in the eye and nods but anyone can see he doesn't believe in what she's been saying. He turns and heads down one of the corridors. I want to go straight to him...make him smile that stupid smile. It feels so wrong to see him this way.

Robin's waiting patiently as he watches me and I have to make an effort to stop frowning. "What'd you hear?"

"I didn't catch enough of what they were saying." I say honestly.

Robin looks down the corridor after Wally. I can already see Robin's detective brain working hard.

"Just leave this one alone." I warn him. "I think it's a family thing, it's none of our business." I suddenly get a taste of what it's like to be on the other side of the Don't-talk-about-family club.

He puts his hands up pretending the thought hadn't crossed his mind. "Gotcha big guy. Anyway I have some packing to do over at the cave." He nods in Wally's direction. "Keep me updated if you find out what's up with him, I'll keep my coms on."

I raise my eyebrow and just stare at him.

"Okay okay. Got it. Not our Business." He laughs, slaps my back again and walks off towards the portal.

"Have some fun ok?" He calls back. "You're too serious."

-x-

I'm just about to go after Wally when Black Canary calls me aside. Now's not a good time. "Can't it wait?" I have to catch up to Wally!

"Just listen," She says. And I do, but only because I respect her. She has a lot on her plate without us adding our teenage problems to it. I see what she's volunteered to do for us and I can't help but think how small she makes my joke of a father seem in comparison.

"Wally's having some trouble at home and I'm not sure how well he's handling it. I can't tell you what it's about. That's Wally's choice to share it if he wants to. Look, I'm not asking you to be his emotional baby sitter but could you just keep an eye on him?"

"I kinda guessed something wasn't right with him today. I was just about to ask hi-"

"Don't ask him about it." She says before I can finish. "He's feeling very vulnerable at the moment. A lot like you were when you first came to us."

Confused, angry and alone? The words just popped into my head but they fit the descriptions of my earlier self perfectly. She was giving me a big clue about what was happening but my naivety kept me from putting one and one together.

"I wasn't going to." I lie "He just ...looks like he shouldn't be alone right now."

The corner of her mouth curls up slightly, a knowing smile that I don't understand.

"What?" I ask.

Still smiling, shaking her head slightly, she relaxes her folded arms. "Apparently I didn't need to have this chat with you."

"I guess not." I say but I'm still trying to catch up in my head. What does she mean?

"You're a good Kid Conner, Have a good summer."

A minute passes by before I realise I'm standing there by myself. I'm still terrible at reading social cues. I finally decide she must think highly of my character and just leave it at that.

-x-

It takes me a while but I finally find him in the gym sitting on the belt of a treadmill. His face is beaded with sweat.

"Hey" I say softly as I kneel down to his level.

He jerks his thumb towards the machine not meeting my eyes. "Broke it."

The treadmill's in a pretty bad shape. He must've been going all out on it.

"That's nothing," I say jerking my head towards the few remaining shreds of a punching bag. "Broke it."

A smile starts on his face but he's still blankly looking at the ground. His mind is still on his troubles.

"This gym wasn't made to withstand the ups and downs of super teens like us was it?"

His smile is growing a little wider. I love that smile.

I stand up and hold out my hand. "I'll be your punching bag if you need one."

He takes my hand and pulls himself up. "Thanks but I'd rather punch concrete. It'd probably hurt a lot less."

"Suite yourself. Anyway... I was gonna do a movie slash pizza night. You wanna hang out?" I don't know why but I feel a sudden flush in my cheeks. M'gann and I do this every Thursday night, is it because I'm asking him? It suddenly occurs to me that we haven't spent much time together outside of missions.

"Dinah send you to look after me did she?" He says suspicious of me.

"Should she have?" I shake my head. I'm feeling a little stung by the accusation and a little embarrassed that I'm often so transparent. "Look. Come, don't come. It's your choice. I don't get to socialise much. I just thought I'd reach out. Y'know?"

Just as I'm about to leave he speaks up. "Hey, I'm Sorry." There's a pause as he struggles with what he wants to say. "I've got stuff going on. Not all of it good." He says finally.

I nod. "I guessed as much... so...is that a no...Or are you gonna join me?"

"You're not going to ask me about it?" He says surprised.

"Do you want me to?"

There's another pause.

"I get to choose the toppings then."

I smile. "All five hundred of them? Spread across just as many pizza's?"

"Naturally, I'll save you a slice." He laughs.

"Um...Wally? I'm here if you want talk. Also if you don't. I just want you to know. Alright?"

"Does that 'punching bag' offer still stand?" He says half serious.

I put my hands behind my back inviting him to give me his best shot.

He shakes his head and gives my shoulder a half hearted push and I stumble over trying to right myself. "Thanks." He says smiling. "Not yet."

A worried look passes over his freckled face. So out of place with his usual playfulness.

"I just have to get some clothes from home first. I'm staying for a few...Well I guess I'm staying here now."

He looks worried that I might start asking questions, like he had volunteered too much information too soon.

"We'll make the most of it, besides, M'gann makes for a lousy frat buddy anyway, and it'll be good for us. Want a ride to your place? We can pick up the Pizza on the way back."

"S-sure. Are we taking the sphere?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Wally**

I'm dreading going back home but all I have is the shirt on my back and a heavy sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'm going to need at least some of my things if I'm to live at mount Justice from now on. As long as I'm not going alone I think I can face going back to the place I used to call home for just a short while. A very _very_ short while.

"Want me to wait for you at the hanger exit?" He asks.

The slight burn in my lungs makes me realise that I've been holding my breath at the thought of seeing my parents again.

"I'm ready now if you are." I breathe out quickly. The sooner I get this over with the better.

"So why aren't we taking your motorbike? The sphere turns into a bike anyway doesn't she?" I ask in a futile effort to derail my obsessive train of thought.

"Yeah, but she's got some extra compartments, makes it easier for carrying pizza back to the base. Plus we need some extra space to bring your stuff back." And I'm back on track as much as I don't want to be.

We make our way down the many corridors to the hanger and Connor keeps close never moving more than a few centimetres from me. I want to take his hand; feel something strong enough to wrench me from this torrent of raw emotion. But I don't dare. I've already lost the family I know and love; I can't bear the thought of having him hate me too. That would be too much.

It still keeps playing in my mind how he sought me out just to tell me he'd listen if I needed. Aside from Black Canary, he's been the only one to show any real concern for me. He doesn't even seem to mind that I'm not comfortable enough with him to speak of the shame and guilt that's quietly burning me up inside. He's a blazing light in a dark night filled with horrors. I can't afford to hope that he's offering me anything more than friendship. And, still, I want to take his hand; squeeze it tight and feel a connection with someone who still wants me in this world of mine that's quickly falling apart.

M'gann's carrying a box into her ship when she see's us in the hanger. She lets it float gracefully from her hands through the open doors of her ship.

"I didn't think you'd be wasting any time getting away." Connor says to her.

"I know, but I really can't wait to see my family! I was going to come find you and say goodbye after that last box. Hey Wally."

"Hey, no love for Kid Flash?" I say.

She rolls her eyes and comes forward to give me a hug. I squeeze back. "Thanks." I whisper into her hair. It feels good to be hugged, to feel connected.

'Are you alright, Wally?' Her voice sounds in my head.

I feel a lump growing in my throat. I shake my head and reply, thinking. 'No. Not really.' And then a few seconds later 'I'll tell you about it when you get back.'

'Are you sure? I can stay a day or two if you want.' She says in silence before giving me another hug.

'Don't be silly, it's not worth keeping you from seeing your family. Besides, Connors got my back.' The lump in my throat subsides at the thought of his name.

She smiles at me then looks over my shoulder to him.

I see him out of the corner of me eye and his expression is hard, his eyes narrowed so slightly it might be my imagination but it disappears when his eyes meet my own.

"Sorry about tonight, I know it's our movie night." She apologises.

"No worries, I've found a good substitute." He comes up behind me and pats my shoulder once, casually leaving his hand there. There's a sense of unabashed pride in his voice. He squeezes my shoulder and I can feel my cheeks warming at the sensation.

"He'll do, I suppose." She says in mock appraisal. "I hope you like black and white movies." She says to me sympathetically.

"They could be blue movies for all I care as long as I get my pizza I'm happy." I say grinning widely.

They both look at each other and I can tell the joke is completely lost on them.

"Really? Nothing? My wit is totally wasted on aliens." I sigh.

"Blue movies?" Connor says to himself and I imagine he's searching thousands of images the genomes shoved into his head without any success. M'gann looks just as puzzled.

"Anyway, we were just about to head out. Will you be here when we get back?" He asks pulling on his close fitting Jacket. I'm spellbound as I watch him casually threading his arms through and filling out his sleeves.

"I'm just about to head off. I'll see you in a few weeks." She gives him a brief hug.

We both wave her off and head for the sphere that's already waiting in its bike form.

"So, you two looked...close" He says slowly. Seriously.

Oh god, he's misread my double hug with M'gann! He must like her. He must think there's something going on between us! That would explain the dark look just now. Is he jealous?

"No closer than the two of you are." I say quickly. Too quickly I think. He won't believe me now. I'm sure of it. I've become so good at hiding who I am by hitting on girls whenever there's an audience, why _would _he believe me?

Deep in my chest a small fluttering of panic starts and I begin to worry that he might turn on me because of a stupid misunderstanding. "I'm not after your girl." I say honestly.

He thinks for a second then laughs to himself. "I'm not after her either and she's not my girl."

I'm confused. "Then why-"

"Are you getting on or not?" He says revving the spheres engines. He smiles enjoying the sound. He acts as though the brief exchange of words before hadn't even taken place.

My confusion is suddenly replaced with an acute sense of awareness of the fact that I'm going to have to get close to him, only I don't know where to put my hands. I'm sure that just by touching him I'll give my secret away.

"You have been on a bike before haven't you?" He asks when I don't move.

"Um, sure." I say wondering whether or not I should tell him that I've never been a passenger before.

"Then get on already. I'm starving and your place is there," He says pointing roughly in one direction. "and the pizzeria is about ten miles that way." He points in the opposite direction, exaggerating.

Doing as I'm told I take up the seat behind his and lightly place my hand on his hips. He smiles over his shoulder and takes my hands pulling them around his waist. "That's better. Now hold on tight."

A few more revs for show and he takes us out on the road.

As the wind whips at my shirt I start to think of my parents and the heavy sick feeling returns to my stomach. My arms begin to feel weak as I start to tremble. I tighten my hold on his waist, feeling the warmth from his back, trying to steal some of his strength to use as my own.

Last night I told them I was in love. Last night I lost theirs forever.

-x-

My hands were sweating. I could hardly hold onto my knife and fork. I'd been working on telling my parents for about two weeks. Every night we sat down to dinner and every time I came close to speaking up I found myself shoving another mouthful of food into my mouth. My body was trying to tell me to keep my mouth shut.

We were halfway through dinner again, and again I was wound up so tight just on the edge of actually going through with it. I couldn't keep doing this it was stressing me out.

"Mom? Dad? I need to tell you something." I became numb with anticipation of what was to come. It was as if someone else spoke with my voice and not me.

"What is it darling?" My mother asked sweetly.

"I... um... I'm in love with this...person. I don't have anyone to talk about it with."

"That's great, son, what's this girls name? Please tell me she at least knows you exist."My father joked.

"I-it's not a girl I'm in love with, dad." I say quietly. Too late to back out now.

My mother looked to me then to my father and back again perplexed. "Not...not a girl? Wally what are you saying? Rudy, what is he saying?" She shook her head refusing to grasp the meaning of my words.

"I'm in love with another boy, mom. But he-"

"You are not! Don't you dare for a single second tell us you're-you're," He wouldn't say it "No!" My father yells making my mother and me both jump.

"I can't help it! I didn't ask for this to happen! Dad? I-"

"Get out of my house." I couldn't move. I was horrified at what I was hearing.

"I won't have you bringing shame on this family. Get out. Get out now!" He stood to his full height. I was too terrified to move. 'This is not my father'. I thought. 'I don't know this man.'

Tears ran hot down my cheeks. "Mom?" I plead desperately. But she wouldn't even look at me.

"Just..just go." She started crying, waving me away and wishing me from her sight.

My own tears began to flow freely as I got up from my chair. I took one last look at the two of them before leaving. I didn't know who these people were.

My own family didn't want me.

I remember standing outside my house hearing the increasing sobs of my mother behind me; Remember thinking 'Where do I go now?' and wiping at my eyes but the tears still came. I took a step forward and then another and with my mind numb of thought I let my legs take me away one slow step at a time leaving a trail of spattered tears in my wake on the tarmac as I cried to the night.

"Wally?" I heard my name being called as if from a distance. "Wally? What are you doing out here." The voice grew louder.

I was sat against a tree close to the entrance of mount Justice. The sun was just beginning to rise and the stars were fading in the orange sky.

"Have you been here all night?" Black canary's voice was right next to me.

The numbness had spread to my body. I felt no desire to move. If I just kept still, stopped thinking, stopped breathing the pain might just go away.

"Wally!" I felt a hand gripping my jaw, forcing me to look up. Then it all came rushing back, hitting me like a kick in the stomach when I looked into the eyes of another being. I began to cry deep ragged sobs, catching gulps of air only to cry out again. Before she had the chance to speak I found myself telling her everything between fits of tears as it all came out. When I finished and calmed down she pulled me to my feet.

"Let's get you inside. We'll talk more, get you settled and then I want you to get some rest." She put her hand on my back rubbing gently to comfort me as we walked towards the portal.

-x-

I've never written anything from the first person in mostly the present tense so I'm battling through it one sentence at a time so please forgive my mistakes. I hope everyone is enjoying this so far :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Conner**

We're not far from his place about half way there and I can feel him trembling, his arms tighten around me and I feel my stomach explode with butterflies but they're also heavy with concern.

"Are you cold!" I shout over my shoulder. I'm not sure if the wind had drowned out my voice as he doesn't show any sign that he heard me. I ease up on the throttle to slow us down.

"Wally?" He must've heard me this time but again no reply. I pull over and he quickly slips his arms free and rushes to the side of the road retching on all fours. Instantly I feel guilty for missing the feel of his arms around my waist.

"I can't," He says once the contents of his stomach are emptied. There's not much of it on the ground. I can see he hasn't eaten anything all day. Not a good sign for a teenager with an extremely high metabolism.

I place my hand on his back uncertain of what I should do. "Are you ok?" I ask, instantly realising how stupid the question is.

"I-I can't go back in that house." He wipes his mouth looking up at me pitifully. "They hate me."

"I'm sure they don't hate you but even if that's the case you still need clothes. They still belong to you."

He just shakes his head once then spits the taste of bile from his mouth.

"Fine, I'll go then." I decide.

"What?"

"I'll get your clothes for you. What's the worst they can do to me?"

He moves to sit up wiping the road dirt from his hands and knees. He has a look of amazement on his face but he's also smiling, grateful. "Why are you being so good to me?" He asks as though questioning his luck.

"Do I have to have a reason? Anyone would do the same if they saw the state you're in." I offer, somewhat self consciously.

"Ah, pity then." He decides but his tone isn't serious.

I go to sit next to him on the road, his vomit rapidly cooling on the ground between us. The Moon rises slowly over head looking bigger than I ever remember seeing it. It occurs to me that I've yet to experience all twelve moons in a year. I turn my attention back to Wally expecting him to be looking at the same satellite in the sky but I'm surprised to find he's watching me. There's a stillness in the air between us as I feel him searching my eyes with a calmness that wasn't there a few moments ago.

The butterflies return, swarming within me, weakening my self-control. I turn to look at the moon again uncertain of what impulses might surface if I'd dared to hold his gaze any longer. Staring up at its glowing surface all I can see is the bright green of his eyes.

"Beautiful." I think aloud to myself breaking the fragile silence of the warm summer evening.

"Pardon?"

"The moon." I say plainly. "Don't you think?" A warm breeze passes through the whispering leaves of the trees close by.

"Mmm." He murmurs in agreement, now looking up with me.

There's a loud guttural squeal and we both look at Wally's stomach wide eyed before bursting with laughter.

"I think it speaks for both of us." I laugh getting to my feet. "C'mon, we should get going."

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and climbs onto to the back of the 'sphere' behind me. "Remind me to pack your toothbrush when I go to get your stuff."

-x-

There are another two streets left before we reach our destination but I selfishly want to keep driving just feeling him close to me. Reluctantly I pull up behind some shrubs protecting us from being spotted from inside the house.

"So where's your room?" I ask looking ahead, both hands still gripping the handlebars.

"Second door down the hallway on the right. Are you just going to break the door down?" He asks nervously climbing off the bike.

"I was going to try ringing the doorbell..."

"Right, obviously. Um... I'll just..."

"Wait here and torment yourself?"

"Uh, yeah." He laughs nervously.

"Relax. As far as they will know I'm just here on my own." I pull off my jacket giving him something to hold. "I won't be long, just stay here, breathe and think of what you want on our pizza's."

He gives me a half smile before I make my way to the front door.

His father answers a few seconds after I press the buzzer.

"Hello?" He says and his eyes fall to the symbol on my chest. "Superman?" He says but he's not sure. I make a mental note to turn my shirt inside out before we get to the pizzeria.

"Superboy," I correct him, suppressing my irritation at being mistaken for my father yet again. "Mr West I've come to collect some of your sons' things."

"I don't have a son." He says grudgingly stepping aside for me.

'Yet you have a room filled with the used possessions of a fifteen year old.' I think sourly.

He walks with me to Wally's room, neither of us comfortable with one another's presence.

"Take whatever you want. I'm giving the rest to charity." He says and leaves me to it. I'm grateful he's gone. I wanted to grab him by the collar of his shirt, slam him against the wall and scream at him. He wouldn't spare a thought for his own son who clearly needs his parents and he dares to talk of charity! He's a man after my own fathers' heart. Are all fathers like this?

Briefly taking in my surroundings I feel lost; I don't know where to start. I've never been in another boy's room before so I don't know what I should expect. I cast my eyes about the room noting the contrast between his and mine. My room barely looks lived in, everything in its place with only my favourite pair of boots at the foot of the bed indicating that the room is being used at all. Personalising my room had never occurred to me until now.

His room is really something to look at. There are posters on every wall, most of them sports related. A large full length mirror in the corner of the room catches my eye. Its borders decorated with the logos of random surf brands. In the top right hand corner there are three small photo's of Robin and himself at the beach. In one shot they're both standing barefoot in the sand each with a surfboard under their arms. The same surfboard Wally holds in the picture is now propped up against the adjacent wall. I can't remember the last time I saw him smiling as happy as he is there.

There's a single bed which hasn't been slept in, piled high with dirty laundry. Next to the bed is a large wooden desk littered with various trophies and awards. "'Souvenirs' " I say, quoting Wally, with a smile.

Its odd how there isn't a single track and field trophy amongst them. Picking up the nearest silver gilded cup, gently rubbing a thumb over the engraving of his name I imagine the pride he must have felt presenting it to his father. Feeling his proud smile reflected back at him. I sigh as I turn the silver cup over in my fingers before putting it back where I found it. Who will he share these moments with now? I'm finding that we have more in common than I first realised but it gives me no pleasure. Even I know how important family is and I've never really known what it's truly like to have one. Always standing on the outskirts never feeling part of a whole.

I open the built in cupboard doors where I find two good sized duffle bags. Immediately I start grabbing at clothes. Vests, T-shirts, shorts, jeans, shoes, flip flops, anything I think you might need for a summer holiday. Only he says he's 'staying' at mount justice now. Not really a holiday, I understand now. I go over a list of things in my head that I would pack for myself checking things off. Socks, underwear. I haven't found these yet. Walking over to a chest of drawers I notice a picture of Wally with his parents. They look like the perfect family unit. Despite what I say about superman, I still want to experience that. The team is a pale comparison to how I think family should feel. Without really thinking I stuff the framed photo into the bag too. Snatching up the three photos from the mirror as well I lay them all carefully in the bag before going back to the chest of drawers.

Underwear, I'm going to be touching his underwear. Cloth that has touched him in places I've never seen. I grab quick fistfuls from the first drawer and shove them into the bag as I feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I do the same with the socks. With everything packed I make my way back to the front door, my escape.

I nearly walk right into Wally's father when I turn the corner.

"Thank you, Mr West." I say curtly keeping my pace. The sooner I'm out of here the better his chances of surviving my visit.

He grunts, clearly happy to see me leaving. And to be honest I'm just as happy to be going.

I'm just about to close the front door behind me when I stop, turn to look at him and without hiding my disgust say. "You know, he's just a kid."

He doesn't say a word but stares me in the eye, nostrils flaring. He grabs the door handle without looking for it and slams the door shut in my face.

"Asshole." I spit at the door. The door's thin enough that he can still hear me but I'm beyond caring. I've got I came for. No point in sticking around wasting my time with him.

-X-

I come around the hedges and Wally sees me first. He pushes himself away from the sphere. His forehead slightly creased with worry when he sees my face.

"What happened? D-did they say anything to you? You look," He pauses for a second seeing my tight grip on the duffle bag straps. "Angry." He finishes.

It's only when he says so that I become aware of the tension in my jaw. I close my eyes and take a slow breath willing away the anger.

"I am. Your Dad let me in. I didn't see your mother." I drop the bags at my feet.

"D-did he say anything...about me?" He says, fear flushing the colour from his cheeks.

"Believe me it wouldn't do you any good to hear it. I'm so sorry. I didn't realise it was this bad." I say touching his arm. "Look I promised myself I wasn't going to ask you until you were ready but what happened?"

He shifts his weight awkwardly looking everywhere I'm not. "I..."

"Whatever it is I won't believe you deserved any of this." I want him to know I'm on his side. Always will be.

He takes a deep breath building the courage to speak. "If I tell you, you have to promise me one thing first."

"Sure." Anything.

"Promise me you won't drive off without me and leave me here, no matter what you might think afterwards."

I squeeze his arm lightly. "I wouldn't no matter what but, maybe you shouldn't tell me. I shouldn't have asked."

"But I-I want to tell you. You don't know how much I want to."

"Because there's no one else to tell?" I offer.

"Something like that." He says with a sad laugh. Sullen eyes cast down on his fidgeting hands. He seems to become conscious of them and hastily shoves his hands in his pockets.

I can't stand to see the struggle going on behind those lonely green eyes, it's torture.

I pull him in close, wrapping my arms around him as I rest my chin on his head. "Hey." I say but I'm not sure I'm in control of myself now. His body tenses beneath mine but I hold on.

"What's this for...?"

"If I were in your shoes it's what I'd want me to do." I say. But in a small selfish way I'm really just consoling myself over the pity I'm feeling.

"My...shoes?" He says more to himself than to me.

He pushes me away a little freeing himself from my arms. "If I were in your shoes right now... I wonder what I would be thinking," He says backing away from me with another step. "If I knew."

I'm starting to get irritated now. "Wally, am I your friend?"

"What?" He says thrown off guard.

"Am I?" I insist.

"Yes, of course." He says

"Then why don't you trust me?"

"It's not that simple. I'm...I'm scared I guess. I don't want anyone else to leave me." He says barely above a whisper.

"Please don't." I say incensed. "Don't you dare put me in the same boat as them." I gesture wildly at the house behind me.

"It's because I care about what you think of me that I'm scared, okay?" He shouts back in my face. "Just look at what happened with my parents!"

I'm stunned to silence. I feel like such a fool. Of course he's scared. Who wouldn't be in his situation? I can't believe how it escaped me that his world must seem so fragile in the wake of what's happened.

"I'm not like them." I hear myself say mutely, still trying to hold onto my argument, but my voice shakes. I clear my throat too late to hide the shame in my voice.

"I told them I was in love with a boy." He says brave enough to test my claims. And for a moment I don't know what to think or say, shocked.

Slowly, without a word, I pick up his bags and stash them in the super cycle and climb on looking straight ahead.

"You don't have anything to say to that?" He asks a little annoyed at my lack of response.

"I haven't abandoned you on the side of the road have I?" I say as I pull my jacket off the seat behind me. I quickly put it on zipping it up over my family's crest. Taking my shirt off and turning it inside out now would just seem like I was mocking him.

"But-" he starts to say.

"You said they hate you." I say looking him in the eye.

"Yeah."

"I don't hate you." I say before looking toward the road again.

"C'mon. Let's get the pizza and head back home." I draw out the word 'home' letting him know that it's his home too now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Wally**

The drive back feels longer than it should. This time it's not the lingering fear of seeing my parents again that pulls at my insides, it's the unsettling silent treatment I'm getting from Connor. We'd picked up the pizza in an awkward silence, neither of us knowing what to say to one another in the aftermath of my coming out. Maybe he doesn't know what to say. Maybe he just doesn't want to talk about it. I'm sure he can sense that I do but I'm not even sure where to begin myself.

The yellow glow of the street lights flash by us one by one and I feel the rush of the evening air's chill. I shiver and my bare arms breakout in goose bumps. His back is warm against my body but his spine is straight and his muscles tense.

Justice Mountain rises steadily in the distance at our approach. What will happen when we get there? Will there be stony silences? Will he walk away to his quarters having done his duty bringing me back? Do I return to mine knowing all that waits for me is a near barren room and a head full of last night's memories? I don't need any more salt for my wounds. I suddenly wish I'd taken M'Gann's offer to stay an extra day or two.

My stomach squeals with protests of hunger._ Pain has sustained me this long_._. Another night without food wouldn't matter, would it?_ But my burning curiosity won't let this muzzled silence go on much longer. I have to know what he's thinking. _Feeling?_ That, above all else, is what I have to know before I can even start thinking of food.

"Conner," I say, straining my voice against the wind. The speed we're traveling at dulls the pitch of my words and I can barely hear myself. "I know you can hear me." He doesn't move. "Just listen, okay? I don't know what's going through your head right now but, Connor, please don't freeze me out. I'm not asking you to be anything but yourself, my… my friend." I realise it's what I need the most right now. "I need my friend."

His head dips down a little and I can feel him sigh as his stomach presses out against my arms, breathing slowly in then slowly out. _He heard me_.

The wind beats hard at our faces but I'm still close enough to catch the clean earthy scent that's carried away from his skin. It reminds me that I'm still covered in dry sweat from my run in the gym earlier. I need to shower as soon as we get back.

The super cycle comes to a stop in the hanger and I climb off before he does. He still doesn't look directly at me as he unpacks. An image of my mother's turned head, refusing to see me at the dinner table, flashes through my mind.

"Conner?" I almost whisper in his direction but the tightness in my throat makes it come out pathetic. He grabs the pizza boxes with his back turned, stops, turns, looking at me briefly with his lips pressed thinly together. He hands over the pizza boxes. The cardboard is hot against my palms, it almost burns as hot as my cheeks.

"Yeah?" He pauses for a moment then reaches for the duffle bags when I don't reply straight away.

Any idea of what I could say evades me. "N-Nothing..."

He makes a start for the hall that leads off to the guest rooms with the straps of a bag in each hand. His pace slows to a stop, his shoulders sag and he lets out a tired sigh. Dropping the bags at his feet he reaches to pinch the bridge of his nose screwing his eyes tightly shut. Even like this he is painfully beautiful.

"Look, just ignore me for a while, I'm...processing." He hesitates, perhaps giving himself permission, before he looks me in the eye. "Sorry."

"Well," I begin slowly. "You _did_ want to know..."

He nods to himself. "I did. I know. It's just… I would never have guessed. I mean every time there's a girl nearby, the looks, the flirting, it's..."

"Not obvious?" I suggest. "Trust me, It's exhausting trying to be normal."

_It's ironic_. Not long ago I'd gone out of my way to recreate my uncle's super speed lab accident. Making me the teen super I am today.

His eyebrows furrow in thought as he pockets his hands. The boyish posture makes me smile. I try to keep it from showing but fail.

"And liking guys isn't '_normal_'?"

My smile disappears quickly. A part of me wonders if he is asking for confirmation or if he is challenging my idea of normal.

Suddenly the floor of the hanger has my undivided attention. I was not expecting that from him. I don't know what to say.

"So do I get to see the real Wally, now that I know?" He asks. His face is composed but thoughtful when I finally raise my head and force myself to meet his eyes.

"I'm just the same guy you've always known." I swallow hard, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

He reaches for the bags again with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He shakes his head. "No, no I don't think you are."

I raise an eyebrow. "So… who am I then?"

"Oh you're still Wally. There's more to you now," His smile widens. "but not less." He leaves me standing there holding the pizza and I wonder about the hint of amusement that might have been imagined in his voice.

"Hurry up and shower, I don't want you to start stinking when we're eating." He calls over his shoulder. "Sweat only smells good for so long."

And as soon as the words register my heart bursts into a rapid beat. I can't decide if he's flirting with me.

A few deep breaths don't do much to bring me back to my body so I start to walk feeling lighter on my feet than I did a moment ago.

_Shower, I should probably shower. _ I walk to my room with an open pizza box, already half empty by the time I reach for the tap to turn on the shower.

-x-

I rub at my damp hair roughly with a soft towel still thinking of sweat and the different intonations it can have. I'm still stuck thinking how easily he can get into my head with the smallest of things and stay there.

With a towel round my waist I make for the duffle bags Connor had dumped on my bed. My feet, still wet from the shower, slide beneath my weight on the tiles. The thought of wiping up the footprints of water crosses my mind but only briefly. Even with a full stomach I can still feel the weakness of hunger that had leached into my every muscle. Now sis not the time to care about safety hazards.

I pick out a pair of board shorts. They feel like mine in my hands but the room doesn't give me that same sense of familiar comfort. I'm just going to have to get used to this place. I wonder if it will ever feel like home.

I sit down on the bed letting out a deep sigh. Something sharp pokes me in the hip. It juts out from inside my bag. Curious, I route around inside and pull at a corner of polished wood.

My mouth is dry as I try to swallow. A soon as my fingers find the wood I already know what it is without needing to see it. It's the picture of my parents standing either side of me, each with a hand on my back looking happy as only a perfect family can be. The raw feelings of guilt, shame and rejection wash over me. I wipe at my eyes with the back of my hand, sniffing. No, they don't deserve any more of my tears. Connor's words echo through my mind. _"And liking guys isn't 'Normal'?" _I grab at another pair of shorts before shoving the picture deep inside my bag covering it up. I can't bear to look at those two faces any longer.

Click. Click. Click. The sound of claws on tile comes before a furry snout pushes through the slight crack in the door.

"Wolf. Come here, boy." I'm glad to see him. I pretend, for a moment, he's come to see how I am. He pads into the room pausing to sniff the air. "I still think Krypto suits you. You're after some pizza, aren't you?" I pull a slice from the box as he comes to sit by the side of the bed. He takes the slice from my hand and drops it at his feet. He slowly tears off small pieces bit by bit until it's all gone. Had he been any other canine the pizza would have been gone in seconds.

He looks up again expecting, patiently waiting.

"Sorry, boy. You had my last piece and this box is Connors'"

He rests his head in my lap and I begin to stroke his muzzle while my mind wanders again for the thousandth time to Connor. How many hours at school did I lose filling page after page with Connor's name?

"What should I do boy. Should I tell him?"

His ears fold back neatly as I stroke his wide head. He wines looking up with his eyes as if to say. 'I don't know what to tell you.'

"Hey, I wondered where you'd got to." Connors voice quickly brings me back to my surroundings. He sees the pizza boxes and fixes Wolf with a look. He folds his arms lightly, leaning casually on the door frame. "Should have known. Not bothering you is he?"

I can feel the weight of his eyes on me and I remember that I'm wearing nothing but a towel. My face and neck feel impossibly hot.

"No… uh he's been good. H-how long have you been standing there?"

"Just got here... I came to give you this." He walks over, barefoot, hands me a brand new toothbrush and leans down to put a hand on the space next to me on the bed. "Can I?"

"Uh, sure, yeah." I feel stupid for hesitating. He just wants to sit. On my bed. Next to me. And I'm half naked. With a dog in my lap. I just know that my body is going to humiliate me if I so much as think of how close he is.

"It's a spare. I forgot to pick yours up at your parents place. I was a little distracted." He smiles a hopeful apology.

"Oh uh, thanks." Looking at the toothbrush in my hand I'm reminded of the taste of bile that lingered after the first few bites of pizza. I was too hungry to let it bother me.

"So… Wolf didn't exactly give you an answer." He leans forward on the edge of the bed resting his elbows on his knees.

My heart felt like it had stopped beating. "You were listening?"

"For signs of Wolf, I couldn't find him anywhere. That's when I heard you talking. Sorry. I'm not keeping tabs on you I swear."

"No, I believe you." I say glancing at his naked feet. Big mistake. It's all the naked skin my body needs to see to start expressing itself. A familiar ache builds beneath my towel. I can feel my face burning even hotter , fear routing me to the spot. Don't move. Don't breathe. Don't think about it. This cannot be happening in front of him!

"So, maybe I can help where fuzz ball over here can't?" He asks.

To my horror Wolf lifts his head from my lap and swiftly trots over to the door looking annoyed with Connor before disappearing down the hall way. The swelling beneath the towel grows and grows despite my willing it away.

"I'm going to pay for that later." Connor laughs grimly at the door. "Aren't I?"

His attention is back on me now. All of me? No I'm just imagining it.

"So who is this guy, what do you want to tell him? Is it you know, _Him_?" He asks, implying correctly about the boy I had fallen for.

I shake my head quickly. "I was just thinking out loud. Are we still going to watch movies or-"

"In just a towel? Sure. You might want to put something on though." He jokes. "You never know when the league will show up." The embarrassing thoughts must be clear to see across my face. Connor's grin quickly turns to feigned indifference. "I'd be cool with that though." He shrugs. "You know what I'm like."

Yes I do. Whenever there was an opportunity to free himself from the confines a T-shirt Connor took it. Unashamedly. And those times that I happened to be around it was always an agonising struggle to resist staring directly at the lean cords of muscle that stretched and tightened as he moved.

"I-uh-I…" I stammer trying to find a reply. My mouth had given me away, soon to be followed by an unmistakable erection. And then my life would be over.

A light hearted laugh escapes him and he turns to hide a barely subdued smile as though to save me from the embarrassment of it's kind mocking.

Feeling the colour of my cheeks deepen I quickly dive back into the open bag with my hands. I search and fail to find any t-shirts. I keeping digging frantically.

"Connor," I say pushing aside underwear and socks. "There aren't any t-shirts in this bag. Did you just pack underwear, shorts and flip flops?"

Still focused on searching I hear him speak as he leans in. "Tried the other bag yet?" I could still hear the amused smile in his voice. I will not look at him. Instead I fumble with the zip of the other bag only to find it refusing to budge. Stuck.

"Damnit, I think the zips bust." I thumped my fist down over it in annoyance.

"Here, have mine it's clean."

And before I know it a screwed up ball of black and red hits me in the face. Still warm, I realise as it falls to my lap revealing Connor, nearly as naked as I am save for his jeans. I don't dare move the shirt knowing full well that my arousal is too far gone not to be seen now.

"Well I guess," I say trying to save face the way that cocky 'ladies' man' Wally would. " uh… Th-thanks. I better…you know. Get dressed."

"In your own time." He shrugs the strong muscles in his shoulders. "I'll go set up the dvd. But first-"

He leans over me, reaching, stretching. Slowly? No it just feels slow. Impossibly slow as his hand finds the pizza box. He stands back, the pizza box now open in one hand a slice of pizza in the other. "I'm taking this just in case it doesn't survive the trip to the sofa." His eyes teased as he takes a big bite. "I gotta eat too you know."

A nervous laugh squeaks from somewhere. Me, I realise. If he wasn't flirting this time then I should admit to being completely clueless and never speak to another member of the same sex again.

Connor pauses at the doorway. He turns swallowing his mouthful.

"What's his name?" He asks.

"Who?"

"The boy... the one who is worth all of this mess you're in."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well you know," He hesitates. "In case he hurts you."

"What? So you can hurt him back?" He just shrugs pretending to be indifferent to the question. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Well, just look at the situation he's got you into, is he really worth it?"

I pick through my bag again as I'm thinking, finding the photo's from last summer with Dick at the beach.

"He is," I say a little too quietly. "and I did this to myself." My voice growing more determined "It's nobody's fault but my own."

"So why aren't you with him now? Why are you here?"

"I haven't told him, he doesn't know how I feel about him."

"That's…that's quite a gamble, coming out just for him and he doesn't even know? You really like him that much, don't you?"

"Yeah"

"I'd be really pissed off if he doesn't appreciate what you did because of him."

"No, Connor, I didn't come out to my parents for him. I did it for myself. I wanted someone to be there for me if things went bad. You know, if I told him and he exploded."

Connor took another bite and chewed slowly.

He gestured at me with the half eaten slice. "You've got me for that now. Tell this guy how you feel. Whatever happens-" He tapped his chest with the pizza in his hand "I'll be here." His grin reflected mine.

He shrugged his left then right shoulder looking at them in turn. "Shoulders for crying on and super hearing for listening if you want to talk it out."

"Don't do that." I said shaking my head at his awful pretend manly attitude. "The whole macho bromance thing doesn't suit you."

He smiled anyway. "Whatever, you know what I mean."

"You're a good friend."

"Sure." He nods a few times to himself, biting his lip as the grin fades. "Yeah, um… gonna go get the dvd ready."

He closes the door behind him and I'm relieved when I look down to see his t-shirt in my lap. It had done a good job of keeping me from embarrassing myself. I press the shirt to my face breathing him in. I pull on the shirt with a smile and wonder what he will say when he sees me wearing it. Did he expect me to wear it or was it just a friendly invite to show up shirtless? A sort of my-house-is-your-house gesture? I toss the socks aside and decide to go barefoot. At least if he is why shouldn't I too?


End file.
